This invention relates to a heater assembly for use with microscope objectives.
When using light microscopes with immersion objectives for observing and studying different samples or specimens it is often necessary that temperature control of the samples be accurately maintained. This need for temperature control is especially required in live cell chamber microscopy to accommodate the characteristics of different samples. Temperatures must be maintained or controlled in the media flow region, and once the required temperature has been obtained it must be stabilized. My U.S. Pat. No. 4,974,952 issued on Dec. 4, 1990, describes more fully the need for stabilized and accurate chamber temperature in live cell chambers. It has been found that the temperatures of microscope objectives has an effect on the temperature of live cell chambers. It is, therefore, necessary to maintain a desired temperature of the microscope objectives so that the live cell chamber temperatures are properly maintained to thereby insure the proper characteristics of the samples being studied.
Various attempts have been made to control the temperatures of microscope objectives. One device used was a cylindrical or bobbin-like heater fixed to the objective with the heater temperatures being monitored. Another method was to direct heated air across the objective. In both cases, there was no monitoring of the actual temperature of the objective. Variations of the temperatures of the objective resulted in an adverse effect on the temperature of the different samples in the live cell chambers over. The actual temperatures of the microscope objectives might vary from the heater temperature or the temperatures of the flowing heated air because of such factors as the thermal conditions surrounding the microscope or the heat sinking properties of the microscope.
The heater assembly of my present invention overcomes the heretofore problem of maintaining accurate temperatures of microscope objectives and live cell chambers. My heater assembly senses the actual temperature of the microscope objective independently of surrounding conditions and regulates the temperature consistent with the actual temperature. By accurately maintaining the temperature of the microscope objective consistent with the temperature of the live cell chamber, the temperature of the specimen is accurately stabilized and maintained thereby accommodating the characteristics of the specimen being studied. The new results of the heater assembly of my present invention are achieved with a simple combination of simple elements which allow use of my invention with microscope objectives of different sizes.